Education

Bravery, passion make a difference

‘Nonviolence . . . the most potent weapon’ is the theme of this year’s the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. student essay contest. The contest, in its 31st year, is sponsored by the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association and the Journal Sentinel.

Nonviolence is the most potent weapon because it influences people. It also creates things instead of destroys them, which is important when fighting nonviolently. A man who fought using nonviolence was Martin Luther King Jr. It's a reason why I admire him. Dr. King didn't think that taking a gun and shooting someone was going to do any good for his cause and he was right. If he would have went the more violent way, it would have just given the people who wanted segregation more reasons to hate African-Americans. It would have been like adding more fuel to an already burning fire.

It was a sad day when he died. Especially since he had been assassinated only for one reason, because he thought bringing peace among two races would be better. This is how I know nonviolence is the greatest weapon there is, because some people are so deathly afraid of it, they're willing to kill just to get rid of it. It has happened all throughout history with other types of civil rights activists who are killed just for what they think, say, or do.

A recent attempt in an assassination against a civil rights leader was against a girl named Malala Yousafzai. A Taliban gunman shot Malala in the head and neck in 2012 because she was slowly making a difference in the governments' views on women and their rights to earn an education. She was gaining more and more followers who were agreeing with her opinion. So, the Taliban decided to assassinate her. The assassination failed and instead of giving up, this girl fought even harder. She made her voice even louder than the first time, and now the entire world is listening to what she has to say. She's an inspiration and leader to girls everywhere.

Hearing about Malala made me realize how much leaders like her put on the line, including their family, friends, and lives. Even the small things, like how they think, are out there, exposed, because in order to make something heard, you have to have a good reason for it to be. You have to put emotion behind it, otherwise others aren't going to be willing enough to listen. It's why nonviolence is so brilliant, because over the years it's becoming a more popular way to fight today's problems. And that's amazing, since it shows people are so passionate in what they believe in and that they are willing to give up everything to make a difference in the world.

I can only hope to gain a piece of that bravery and someday make a difference like those before me.